Page 5 of Tall, Royal and Grumpy

“What does it matter if she forgets anything, anyway?” Mariyah said, waving him off with her hand as she put herself right in front of me. “I can post it to Jahmal Palace.” She smirked at him over her shoulder. Up at him. Because she was five-nine, but he still stood a whole head taller than her. “And then you can tear it apart like a chew toy until you’re satisfied it’s safe for our dear Crown Princess.”

Her condescending tone brought darkness down across Shehryar’s expression. Frustration and daggers as he glared at the back of her head, and something…else. Mariyah’s fair skin was faintly flushed too.

Neither of them seemed to realise it was so damned obvious what their anger at each other really hid, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching them try to act as if there was nothing there.

Mariyah pulled me into a tight hug. “Call me as soon as you land, okay?”

“I will,” I said, squeezing her back.

“And do remember what I said? Or do you need me to repeat myself here?”

“No,” I said quickly, ignoring the way I could feel Shehryar’s piercing stare narrow on my suddenly hot face. “I remember.”

“Good. I expect regular updates too.”

If there’s anything to update. I didn’t say that though; I just nodded. “Tell your parents I said thank you for letting me stay. Next time, I’ll come when they’re here too.”

“I will.” Her arms tightened around me. “Take care of yourself, okay, Ez. I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

We clung onto each other for a minute longer before Shehryar said we had to leave if we wanted to stick to the security schedule. So, I untangled myself from Mariyah and followed Shehryar to the black, bullet-proof Jeep waiting in the driveway.

As he drove us away, Mariyah’s figure waving in the doorway getting smaller, a heavy stone sunk through me, pushing away all the happiness I’d felt for the last week.

Chapter Two

ESMERALDA

“How was your trip?”

My hand froze, hovering in front of my mouth, but I recovered just as quickly and lowered the forkful of chicken in garlic sauce back to my plate.

My brother, Kareem, might initiate a conversation with me once in a red moon on the rare occasion he actually ate dinner with me, but that didn’t mean it was a good thing. It never was with him.

I straightened in the long-backed wooden chair that had graced the private dining hall of Jahmal Palace for over two hundred years. My eyes drifted ahead to where the young King of Jahandar sat at the other end of the matching table. There might only have been a five-chair difference between us on the long ends of the table, but to me, it felt like I was sitting miles apart from him.

“It was very pleasant. Thank you for asking, Your Majesty,” I said in the perfectly polite tone of a princess like I wasn’t talking to my own brother but to a complete stranger. I watched him carry on eating without batting an eye up in my direction. “Thank you again for allowing me to spend my birthday in Raven with Mariyah on such short notice.”

Kareem hummed a bland sound then took a sip from his glass of water. “I made an exception this once because Shehryar vowed you would be ready for your presentation.”

Ah. My stiff shoulders sunk.

So that was why Kareem had agreed. Shehryar had convinced him behind my back. Again. As much as I loved Shehryar for doing me the favour, I hated that my asking hadn’t been enough for Kareem to agree.

Kareem’s lashes finally lifted, subjecting me to his pointed, empty stare.

There was no doubt that he was my brother. Everyone always made the same remark wherever I went with or without him. We were our father’s children.

Same warm golden skin tone. Same chocolate brown hair, although Kareem’s was less wavy than mine, sitting in a short, combed-back style on his head. We had our father’s slim noses, neither thin nor full lips, and high cheekbones. But while the features looked pretty and feminine on my face, they looked elegant with a masculine edge on Kareem.

The only difference between us—other than height—was that Kareem had the late Queen, our mother’s eyes. A rich brown that shone shades of gold in the sun but turned sharp and cool whenever he looked at me. Never holding the same warmth that mother’s eyes always had.

“You asked to lead on this year’s environmental strategy presentation,” he said, “so even with this disturbance of going to Raven, I expect your full focus on making it perfect.”

I gulped hard. “Yes, Your Majesty. I will do my best.”

“I didn’t ask for your best.” I nearly flinched at how quickly the words flew off Kareem’s tongue. “I expect nothing less than perfection. I don’t have to remind you that your work doesn’t only reflect on Jahandar’s government. It also reflects on me. And what you present at the Peace Celebration cannot in any way undermine me in front of the entire world.”

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